Dr. David Childs, D.D., Ph.D.
Northern Kentucky University
We will continue our theme of providing teacher resources for K-12 classrooms. In our latest article we highlighted resources from PBS Learning Media for elementary social studies teachers. In this article we want to highlight a number of teaching resources for educators that want to teach on the topic of diversity to younger children. Many educators shy away from teaching about diversity and inclusion in their classroom because it is such a controversial topic and they may also feel inadequately prepared to discuss it with students. Furthermore, there is even legislation at the state level that regulates what can and cannot be taught as it relates to the topic of diversity. Below we provide some lesson plans and resources that teachers can use to address the subject matter in a meaningful, creative and effective way.
Lesson Plans and Resources on Diversity and Inclusion
Activities that Promote Racial and Cultural Awareness
Looking Closely at Ourselves
Tolerance in Times of Trial
YWCA is on a mission to Stand Against Racism!
Diversity: Differences Make us Unique- Kindergarten
Diversity Lesson Plan- Kindergarten
Kindergarten Diversity
I Am Special and You Are Special Too Lesson Series
15 Cultural Diversity Activities For Elementary Students
Teaching Tolerance ~ Elementary Lesson Plans
5th Grade Diversity Lessons
Diversity Using Literature- Elementary
Culture and Change: Black History in America
Please share what resources you find useful for your teaching.
We are open to feedback and discussion. If you see any typos or grammatical errors please feel free to email the author and editor at the address below:
Dr. David Childs
childsd1@nku.edu
As a future educator I want to know lesson plans that can help me become the best educator I can be which means not shying away from teaching about diversity. I really enjoyed reading this specific article because it has direct links to multiple different lesson plans. The lesson plan I chose to look at specifically is Looking Closely at Ourselves which is very important when teaching these topics because every person needs to understand themselves to understand others. Another reason why I liked this lesson plan is because it asked important questions for example, “Are there different ways to be beautiful?” One last thing I want to say that I found interesting is the statement that many teachers feel inadequately prepared to discuss it with students and I think that is something that needs to be changed. Teachers should be taught how to have these conversations and have ideas on ways to teach it to younger children.
Today I viewed the lesson plan for diversity as provided by PBS, “Tolerance in Times of Trial.” I really appreciated this lesson as it looks at the roll propaganda takes in the development diversity and stereotypes. We look at examples of both Japanese and Germans’ during WW2 with the goal to see why people would create artworks that depicts both groups so negatively. I think this lesson looks at the development of bias and how we can apply that bias inversely to stomp out your own biases.
As a featured educator, I believe it is imperative for our youth to have a diverse education. Including diversity in the classroom is something that will engage and educate our students in a more positive way. They will gain experience in the classroom that will help them outside the classroom in life for the rest of their life. I really like in your article that you provided an abundance of resources to help create lessons on diversity!
This article highlights the importance of introducing students to diversity and making it a crucial topic in the classroom. While it can be a controversial topic, that does not mean it shouldn’t be discussed. As an educator, it can be difficult to find material and resources that are accurate and effective. This article does a great job of providing excellent resources and lesson plan ideas that can easily be used or adapted for a classroom. One of the lessons that caught my eye was the “You Are Special Too” lesson series. This is a great way to introduce students to the idea that different doesn’t mean bad and we are all unique in our own ways.
Teaching diversity in an elementary classroom setting I feel may be challenging depending on the age of the students. I feel like there could be confusion and questions from students in general, but also if teachers are not given the correct or appropriate resources, there would be an increase in the questions and confusion. While exploring the links/ resources in this article, I really enjoyed the “15 Cultural Diversity Activities For Elementary Students.” I enjoyed this resource the most because I feel like children learn more through doing. This resource provides different hands on activities to teach children about diversity. This is helpful when it comes to children of all age, but especially the younger ones. This would be a great place for teachers to start researching and learning different ways to teach rather than just lecture.
This article is extremely helpful in providing great resources to educators. A statement that stood out to me is how many educators shy away from teaching about diversity and inclusion because the lack of information provided and the fear of confrontation due to the controversial topics. I, too, can relate to this statement and understand why it is so common for teachers to feel that it is best to stray away from diversity and inclusion. However, I know that avoidance is not the answer and it these topics are definitely something that not only needs to be addressed, but heavily focussed on and implemented into the classroom. These resources provide a good starting point for educators to obtain a better understanding and feel more comfortable around diversity and inclusion. Thanks Dr. Childs!
I chose to read the link on Elementary Lesson Plans on Diversity. Through this link, I agree that it is such a controversial topic now that many teachers try to avoid bringing this up in class. But I like how this link provided different yet creative ways to incorporate ways to discuss diversity. I specifically like the kindergarten diversity lesson. Some questions that were provided to be asked were “how can I learn more about other people,” “Are people all the same,” and how am I different/similar to other people”. These questions will allow students to think about the different ways they are unique from others or even similar. It’s a cool thing to discover everyone’s differences so I would like to incorporate these questions within my future classroom.
I chose to read the link on Elementary Lesson Plans on Diversity. Through this link, I agree that it is such a controversial topic now that many teachers try to avoid bringing this up in class. But I like how this link provided different yet creative ways to incorporate ways to discuss diversity. I specifically like the kindergarten diversity lesson. Some questions that were provided to be asked were “how can I learn more about other people,” “Are people all the same,” and how am I different/similar to other people”. These questions will allow students to think about the different ways they are unique from others or even similar. It’s a cool thing to discover everyone’s differences so I would like to incorporate these questions within my future classroom.
One resource that I found helpful is the, “I Am Special And You Are Too” lesson series. I like how students were able to share the experience of birthday celebrations and the different traditions they use to celebrate their own birthdays. This lesson taught students that although they all shared the celebration of birthdays, they all have their unique ways of celebrating.
I chose to read the link on Elementary Lesson Plans on Diversity. Through this link, I agree that it is such a controversial topic now that many teachers try to avoid bringing this up in class. But I like how this link provided different yet creative ways to incorporate ways to discuss diversity. I specifically like the kindergarten diversity lesson. Some questions that were provided to be asked were “how can I learn more about other people,” “Are people all the same,” and how am I different/similar to other people”. These questions will allow students to think about the different ways they are unique from others or even similar. It’s a cool thing to discover everyone’s differences so I would like to incorporate these questions within my future classroom.
As a future educator and current youth development professional, I find these resources incredibly useful and helpful! I do agree that as an educator, I sometimes am timid and unsure of what content, in terms of diversity, that I am able to introduce to my students. I do know that it is incredibly important that students are introduced to diversity in the classroom, and these resources are a great place to start.